Single? Your heart may be better off

We all know Valentine’s Day is a time for couples to celebrate their love which often includes eating at overpriced restaurants and devouring chocolate.

But what about those of us who are single?

Well, apparently you could be better off, because ironically over-indulging can lead to heart disease.

February 14 is also Wear Red Day which supports those who have died from heart disease, and is a day dedicated to educating people on how to prevent it.

And one of the ways to prevent heart disease is to have a healthy diet.

South-Western Sydney Local Health District director of cardiology, Professor Rohan Rajaratnam, supports Wear Red Day and said it’s also an opportunity for us to focus on our own health to prevent heart disease.

To participate, all people have to do is wear red.

“The risk factors for heart disease are very well known and as a result we have a good understanding of how to prevent people developing the disease,” he said.

“Many of the risk factors are related to lifestyle such as smoking, high cholesterol and blood pressure, lack of physical activity, diabetes, being overweight and eating an unhealthy diet.”

Professor Rajaratnam said while there were also other risk factors that could not be controlled, including age and family history, there was plenty that people could do to reduce their risk of developing heart disease.

“We encourage our patients to make changes to their lifestyle to control as many risk factors as possible,” he said.

“This includes giving up smoking, getting more exercise, eating a healthy diet, reducing weight and treating high blood pressure and cholesterol.”

Professor Rajaratnam said a day like Wear Red Day was the perfect time to encourage family, friends and colleagues to get the conversation going about how to reduce heart-disease deaths.